The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1887-10-02
CONSERVATISM, PROGRESS AND
POVERTY.

hlllluR 6tNcu LuS1, nOb Ohc VI WILL, ~
far as the facts have been disclosed,
had any property, or had made any
earnest effort to have any. II each OF
these men, on arriving in the country,
or all but the one who claims to have
been born ON the soil, had not only
taken the steps to become an Ameri-
can citizen, but had actually become
such, and had thenceforth by we'll
ordered industry shaped his efforts to-
ward the acquisition of a homestead:
suppose each of them had finally ac-
ouired a homestead and had been rec
opnized as an industrious, well-dis-
posed citizen: does any right-minded
man suppose that these seven men
would have been engaged IN plan
for the indiscriminate murder OF men
who had done no wrong, and who, for
the most part, were earning living
as peace officers, and either had or
were in the way of acquiring home
steads?
The anarchists of Chicago, with one
exception, did not care enough for cit
nenship to seek or accept that fran
chise. They had given no bonds to
society that they would become good
citizens. Their hands were against
every man who had acquired property.
This doctrine of anarchy never had Its
inception in this country. Ithas been
imported with the expectation that 1t
would take root and flourish. Con-
trary to the expectation, it does not
make much headway. One reason is
that the anarchists have proposed no
remedy for real or fancied evils In this
country. Another reason is that there
are no such evils here as have driven
men to desperation in some European
countries. The theory OF these an
archists is that all property has been
dishonesty acquired, and therefore it
is right to make war on all property
holders. The great fact is overlooked
that property dishonesty acquired In
our country is only the exceptional In
stance. The great bulk of property
amassed has been by hard and unre-
mitting labor through many years.
Here and there a great fortune has
been made by sharp practices and by
means which would not bear a search
ing scrutiny. But these fortunes are
not kept intact very long. The mill
ions acquired dishonesty finally gel
into industrial channels. There are
hardly more than dozen instances OF
the perpetuation Of great fortunes In
all our country. What are these COM
pared with the aggregate Of moderate
properties which millions of industri-
GUS people have acquired here! This
industrial acquisition is going on in a
healthy and natural way. Industry
is creating wealth. Is this wrong!
According to the theory of anarchists
it is. Some of these industrial mill
ions will acquire more than others
There will be some misfortunes; ad-
verse influences will operate here and
there. These inequalities have al
ways existed and they always Will
The great majority of people who
have attained properties in this coun.
try have clean hands. They have
violated no law. They are good citi.
zens, whose influence is always on the
side Of law and order. They do no
think it is crime to be poor, and no
acrime to be rich, provided wealth hal
been honestly attained.
In this country the opportunities fol
acquiring homesteads are greater thai
in any other. No man with healtl
and strength need be hopelessly poor
The battle for time may 60 against
him, but in the long run he will sue
ceed If he is temperate and willing tO
turn his hand to any honest labor.
Probably no men ever had harder
times than the early emigrants to this
coast. Most of them had no capital
They came with brave hearts, strong
hands and clear heads. They did no
stop to rant against the few who haG
begun to acquire wealth. But the,
were willing to turn their hands Il
any honest labor. They went to th'
mines; they felled forests; they con
quered the wilderness; they bent thei
backs to as hard work as ever fell Il
the lot of men. Some were successful
and some were not. But the unsuc
cessful did not preach a crusad,
against their more fortunate fellows
They sought other opportunities. TIL,
greater number finally attained |,
good degree OF prosperity. Some o
them are rich. According to the an.
archists' theory, they have committed
a crime against society. What bust
ness have they to be rich? The grea
conservative element in this country
the element that stands for the sun